Confrontation

"What are the orders?" Grey watched the position ahead and asked Qin Mo for his next instructions through the communicator.

In order to swiftly analyze the data from the first large-scale teleportation and improve the teleportation device, Qin Mo did not show himself immediately. He remained inside the fortress, observing the outside world through Grey's visor.

"Make them withdraw one kilometer. We'll take over the position in front of the passage." After giving the order, Qin Mo stopped paying attention to the outside and calmly focused on analyzing the teleportation data.

The moment Grey received the order, he assumed this meant they were going to war.

Since the other side had remained stationed outside the sealed passage, they had clearly come prepared. No matter who broke through the passage, they would have to stop them.

A demand like taking over the position was obviously unlikely to be accepted.

But Grey was ready for battle. He stepped forward, raised an arm, and said to the general in the position, "Withdraw one kilometer. This position belongs to us now."

"But... but this position is for defense..." The general resisted, exactly as expected.

"The passage has been blocked. Who are you defending against with such a huge position?" Grey took another step forward, his Shoulder Cannon beginning to charge. "Do as I say, or suffer the consequences."

The general felt utterly helpless.

In truth, this position was defending against no one. The passage had been blown apart, and no one could possibly emerge from it. At least, that was what they had believed at the time.

This position was merely a small part of the original defensive line. Most of it had already been withdrawn.

But now another group had appeared, making this position necessary again. No matter what, they could not give it up.

"Can we... discuss this?" The general walked forward, trying to ease the tension. "I stationed troops here because I received word that the offensive plan had failed. The passage was blown up after the deployment."

"I understand that you are all furious right now. You feel like you were sold out."

"I don't know what you went through in the Underhive, but we all belong to the Planetary Defense Force. We are comrades. We are partners."

"If you want to talk, I'm Barrett. I'm right here."

As the general named Barrett continued approaching and attempting to defuse the situation, Grey silently waited for Qin Mo's orders. His Shoulder Cannon and scatter laser were ready to fire.

If Qin Mo gave the order, Grey would not hesitate.

"He doesn't seem to know anything, but we can't rule out the possibility that he's bluffing us. Bomb the area on the right side of the position where the tanks are parked." Qin Mo gave the order.

Grey immediately aimed his Shoulder Cannon at the rear right side of the position. A sphere of light flew from the cannon, tracing a perfect arc through the air as it descended toward the target.

The sphere burst in midair, and countless beams of light rained down upon the tanks below like a torrential storm.

Amid the "storm," the tanks' armor gradually melted away, while pits were burned into the metal ground.

The attack horrified Barrett and his men. Although the tanks were being eroded slowly, if the people before them had targeted the soldiers present instead of the tanks...

"You... you didn't attack the people in the position. You attacked the parked tanks." Barrett raised both hands. "You really do want to talk, don't you?"

"No talking." Grey aimed his Shoulder Cannon at Barrett. "Withdraw one kilometer."

Barrett began to hesitate.

At that moment, Grey's Shoulder Cannon began gathering energy. Although that energy had yet to be converted into beams of light, Barrett could already feel the scorching heat.

Barrett turned back to look at his soldiers.

Every soldier wore an expression of fear and unease. On one hand, they truly did not want to fight the force before them. On the other, they felt guilty and doubtful.

When they had come to establish the defense, they had been told that the First Legion had already died in the Underhive. They had not sent any distress signal to their superiors at all, so even if they had wanted to dispatch troops for a rescue, it had already been too late.

Some members of the First Legion were the brothers and sisters of the defending soldiers. They could not possibly open fire on the people who had suddenly appeared before them.

"Fine." Barrett nodded, turned around, and waved to his adjutant.

One side withdrew while the other advanced.

Within the Hive City, the Underhive and the lowest levels were completely different. Though neither had a visible sky, and though looking up only revealed enormous pipes and an endless expanse of darkness, the Underhive held the largest population.

By now, many civilians had been drawn out to watch.

Barrett did not feel humiliated. He only felt fortunate, because these people who had escaped death had at least not been blinded by rage.

After Barrett and his men withdrew one kilometer, Grey and the army behind him stopped as well.

"Good. We've entered a standoff. Have the others begin setting up the position and wait for negotiations. Once negotiations begin, I'll appear in person." Qin Mo issued his final order, then returned to his real work.

Grey relayed the order. Regimental Commanders like Duncan and Klein immediately arranged their troops into defensive positions, while the Logistics Machines helped reinforce and expand the defenses.

As Barrett led his troops back, the upper echelons of the Hive City had already learned of the situation. They began a meeting inside the Governor's manor at the top of the spire.

The spire was the highest point in the entire Hive City complex. Far from the heavily polluted planetary surface, the nobles who lived here enjoyed the purest air and the finest surroundings.

Every building gleamed with gold and splendor, while every garden was filled with plants and animals unseen in the Underhive or the lowest levels.

The nobles sat in the garden, admiring artistic metal plants as they discussed the matter.

"Why hasn't the Governor shown himself yet?"

"He has an odd personality. You know that."

"What are we supposed to do about the mess the Governor left behind? He found a way to have the Marshal die gloriously in battle, then found a way to deal with his family. Why can't he find a way to deal with these troops that suddenly appeared?"

"How else should we deal with them? They're deserters. Execute every last one of them, just like before."

"Are you joking?"

The nobles talked over one another for a while, then all turned to look at the Ecclesiarchy representative seated in the center.

"Say something, David. Don't sit there in silence as if we're excluding you," said a female noble.

David was responsible for spreading the Ecclesiarchy's faith throughout Hive Terra and handling religious affairs across the entire Hive City. His influence was immense. If he personally declared the First Legion heretics, the hundreds of millions of believers across the planet would form a powerful armed force.

But David said nothing. He merely stroked the Psy-cat in his arms.

Seeing that he had nothing to say, the nobles continued their discussion.

"Let's go to war."

"I support going to war."

"Not only should we go to war, we should execute Barrett and make him pay for compromising with the rebels."

"..."

"No, we cannot go to war." David slowly spoke, then rose beneath the nobles' amused gazes and declared forcefully, "The First Legion of the local Planetary Defense Force are not rebels. They are steadfast believers in the God-Emperor. Otherwise, they could never have survived in the lowest levels. The true rebels are the xenos in the lowest levels."

After speaking beneath the nobles' half-smiling gazes, David turned and left, tossing out one final sentence: "Let me negotiate with them."